Chile Guide
Chiloé
Immediately to the south of the Lake District, the already slim Chilean mainland narrows even further and the straight Pacific coastline splinters into a seemingly never-ending series of islands and inlets continuing all the way down to Cape Horn. The fascinating CHILOÉ archipelago is a haven of rural tranquillity. The main island, forming the bulk of its territory, is Isla Grande, South America's second largest (the biggest being the main island of Tierra del Fuego, shared with Argentina). Exposed to the ocean on its moist westward flank, Isla Grande is separated from Chaitén and its hinterland by the sheltered, but not always smooth, Golfo de Ancud, across which are scattered the lesser Chilote islands, some of them no bigger than rocks.
A verdant rectangle of rolling hills, 200km long by 70km wide, Isla Grande is sliced in half lengthways by the Panamericana as it tears past the two main towns, Ancud and Castro; the latter, the island's colourful capital, makes the best base for exploration, especially if you have no transport of your own. Regular buses trundle up and down the highway, and the lesser roads are generally served by at least one bus a day. However, the ideal way to explore is by going on an organized tour, or, better still, to drive or cycle along the islands' minor roads, which hold surprises at almost every turn. It's well worth heading west into the densely forested Parque Nacional Chiloé, the most accessible part of the almost pristine wilderness of the coastal rainforest, which can be visited on excursions from Castro.
To Isla Grande's east are dozens of tiny islands, most of them uninhabited and practically unreachable. Of the 35 that are inhabited, the two largest and simplest to visit are Isla Quinchao, and Isla Lemuy, both easily accessible by bus and car. Along the winding dirt roads of these remote outposts, you're likely to see huasos driving cattle, ox-carts piled high with firewood or barrels of chicha (cider), and apparently ambulant hay-stacks that seem to move on a cushion of air – until you take a closer look and see they are being pulled on the typical Chilote birloches (sledges).
Highlights
1 Ancud's Museo Regional The seaside town of Ancud features this excellent museum with a stellar collection of Chilote artefacts.
2 Kurantón, Ancud Dig into Chiloé's national dish, a savoury hotchpotch of meat, seafood and potatoes, traditionally cooked out in the open but available at restaurants too.
3 Palafitos in Castro Slums or shrines? Insalubrious yet picturesque fishermen's houses on stilts, the last remaining in the country.
4 Isla Quinchao A soothing spot to experience the slow pace of Chiloé's lesser isles.
5 Parque Nacional Chiloé Explore the remains of the region's once vast forests by hiking its interior trails.
6 Chonchi Chiloé's most attractive town is proud of its age-old customs celebrated in the Museo de las Tradiciones.